and multifaceted. Experts have recommended close collaboration among intensivists and oncologists/hematologists [6, 9, 11]. On the one hand, ICU physicians are skilled in managing organ dysfunctions and setting goals for life-sustaining interventions. On the other hand, hematologists and oncologists can discuss with them the pathophysiological aspects of malignancies and related complications, possible toxicities, new therapeutic options, and the potential for cure and outcomes regarding the underlying malignancy [6, 11]. One good example is provision of urgent chemotherapy in the ICU for selected patients with highly proliferative malignancies and associated acute organ failures [91,92,93]. In the ORCHESTRA study, a multicenter study involving almost 10,000 admissions to 78 ICUs, meetings between oncologists and intensivists for care planning and setting of goals on a daily basis led to lower mortality and more efficient resource use [109]. To further highlight the need for a multidisciplinary team approach, survival was also lower in ICUs with clinical pharmacists [6]. Palliative care and critical care are not mutually exclusive For a long time, palliative care in the context of a critical illness was only considered in patients at the end of life. In recent decades, we have learned that integrating palliative care for critically ill patients is mandatory, can be introduced early and last for long, regardless of their prognosis [110]. High-quality palliative care includes optimal symptom control, communication about appropriate care goals, and support for both patient and family throughout the illness trajectory [72]. Although we should prioritize ICU admission for patients with full-code status and those suitable for an ICU trial, we have also learned that some selected patients can be admitted for noninvasive strategies and supportive care [104, 106]. Along this line, one of the five principles of Choosing Wisely Campaign Guidelines related to the use of palliative care as an option for every critically ill, not only at their terminal phase (. Remaining areas of uncertainty Long-term outcomes The current paradigm shift in considering cancer patients for intensive care is mainly based on markedly improved shorter-term outcome indicators such as mortality (in the ICU, in hospital, or within 30–90 days). While important in their own right, these endpoints may be too limited to permit valid conclusions as to the actual benefits and overall cost-effectiveness of ICU care in cancer patients. However, data on long-term survival after critical care management and functional outcomes, such as QOL or post-ICU burden (depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress disorder), are scarce in cancer patients. Some 15 years ago, the 1-year survival rate of mixed hematologic and oncologic ICU patients was about 25% [72]. More recent studies report higher but quite variable 1-year rates ranging from 18% to 64% [7, 8, 92, 111, 112]. In a large prospective multicenter study of 1011 hematologic patients admitted to 17 French and Belgian centers, the 1-year survival rate was 43% [8]. A few smaller studies, e.g., in patients with acute myeloid leukemia, diffuse large B cell lymphoma, highly aggressive non-Hodgkin lymphoma, chemotherapy during the ICU stay, or post allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplant reported survival rates beyond 1 year: 2-year survival